Month: September 2019

New Lord Of The Rings Show Casts One Of Its Leads

The new Lord of the Rings TV show from Amazon has cast another one of its leads. According to Variety, actor Will Poulter will play an unspecified lead role on the upcoming fantasy show. This news follows another report from July that claimed Markella Kavenagh was in discussions for a lead role, too.

Poulter is known for his roles in The Maze Runner, The Revenant, and most recently in the horror movie Midsommar. He also played one of the lead roles in Netflix’s choose-your-own-adventure Black Mirror episode, Bandersnatch. Additionally, Poulter stars in the next episode of Until Dawn developer Supermassive’s Dark Pictures anthology series, Little Hope.

According to Variety, the role in the Lord of the Rings TV show is a big deal for Poulter, as it was said to be “one of the more coveted jobs in town for young actors.”

The new Lord of the Rings show’s plot is under wraps, but it is known that it will take place during the Second Age, long before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The showrunners are JD Payne and Patrick McKay, who have no TV writing credits to their name but then neither did D.B. Weiss and David Benioff before the start of Game of Thrones.

In July, Amazon announced the star-studded behind-the-camera talent for the Lord of the Rings TV show. The writers room for the untitled Lord of the Rings show includes Gennifer Hutchinson (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Helen Shang (Hannibal), Justin Dohle (Stranger Things), Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones), and Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4).

J.A. Bayona, the director of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is directing episodes one and two of the Lord of the Rings show.

Kate Hawley is the costume designer; she previously worked on Edge of Tomorrow and Suicide Squad. Rick Heinrichs, who won an Oscar for Sleepy Hollow and also worked on The Last Jedi, is the production designer; Jason Smith, who worked on The Revenant, Super 8, and The Avengers is the visual effects supervisor. Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey is also working on the new Amazon show, as is Lord of the Rings movie trilogy illustrator and concept artist John Howe.

The Amazon show also has numerous producers, including people who have worked on Westworld, Boardwalk Empire, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and The Departed.

The show will air on Amazon Prime, though a release date has not been announced.

In Lord of the Rings video game news, a new Lord of the Rings title focused on Gollum is in development at Daedalic Entertainment, while a brand-new Lord of the Rings MMO is coming from Amazon–though it is not connected to the TV show.

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle For Neighborville – New Turf Takeover Gameplay

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  1. Cyberpunk 2077 Multiplayer Confirmed – GS News Update

  2. Gears 5 – The Deadliest New Weapons

  3. Gears 5 – 10 Waves Of Intense Co-Op Horde Mode Gameplay

  4. Top New Games Releasing On Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Month — September 2019

  5. Next Nintendo Direct Will Include Luigi’s Mansion 3 And Pokemon Sword & Shield – GS News Update

  6. The First Hour of Gears 5 | GameSpot Live

  7. Metal Gear Solid, Gears 5, & Dead Cells Coming To Game Pass – GS News Update

  8. New Splinter Cell Game Possibly Leaked – GS News Update

  9. Astral Chain’s Toughest Missions | GameSpot Live

  10. A Tour Of The New Hub Area In Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

  11. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne – Things We Wish We Knew Before Starting

  12. Gears 5 – What The Coalition Didn’t Tell You About Campaign Mode

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New Plants Vs. Zombies Game Available Now, Sort Of

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The newest Plants vs. Zombies title, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, is slated to arrive on October 18 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. If you can’t wait to duke it out in Neighborville, then you’re in luck: the latest PvZ shooter is playable right now. But there’s a catch.

In order to play Battle for Neighborville before its October launch, you’ll have to shell out $30 USD for the Founder’s Edition–which is exclusively digital and only available for purchase from now until September 30. Doing so grants you access to six weeks’ worth of content, which allows you to earn exclusive rewards and join a community to help shape Battle for Neighborville ahead of its global release. Everything you earn in-game will carry over to the Standard edition when it comes out this fall. And when the full game does roll out, those Founding Neighbors will be automatically upgraded to the Standard edition.

Over the six weeks of content, you can play as 20 fully-customizable characters, explore three free-roam areas, participate in one PvE mode and six online multiplayer modes, and more. Additionally, every mode in Battle for Neighborville is playable in split-screen couch co-op–though this feature is only accessible on consoles. Check out the gameplay reveal trailer below.

Developer PopCap Games and publisher EA set up a news channel where you can expect to see posts every Tuesday about upcoming content for the Founder’s Edition. Additionally, the devs will hold weekly livestreams every Thursday. PopCap did share a roadmap with what’s to come each week, which can be viewed below.

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The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

Best Xbox One Deals For September 2019: Games, Consoles, And More

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

September kicks off the fall season, but it also spells the beginning of the holiday deluge of games. The Xbox One has some exciting prospects in its future, so we’ve decided to pull together our favourite deals, sales, and discounts for Microsoft’s console. These include notable deals on the console itself, its controllers and accessories, and the games.

The Xbox One has some great bundles if you want to grab a game with your console, whether it be Xbox One S or X. The most notable bundle this month is the Gears 5 Limited Edition bundle that comes with the entire series (except for Gears of War: Judgment). On top of that, there are new controller deals this month, ahead of November’s release of the Xbox One Elite Series 2 controller. You can check out our picks below, including the snazzy Gears 5 Kate Diaz limited-edition controller, which is on sale for $10 off.

And of course, there are this month’s big Xbox One releases like Gears 5, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and Borderlands 3, but you’ll also find discounts on some of our favourite previously released games. We’ll update this article with any other notable Xbox One deals that pop up throughout the month, but in the meantime, read on for the best Xbox discounts available now.

Quick look: Best Xbox One deals

Best Xbox One X deals

Xbox One X 1 TB – Gears 5 LE Bundle for $500

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Coinciding with the September 6 release of Gears 5, Microsoft has a limited-edition, Gears-themed Xbox One X and controller bundle. It comes with Gears 5 and the previous four games in the series–Gears of War: Ultimate Edition takes the original game’s spot–at the usual bundle price tag of $500 USD.

Xbox One X 1 TB – Battlefield 5 Gold Rush SE for $400

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You can pick up an Xbox One X by itself for $400, but if you want to pick up a couple of games with your console, then this bundle deal might be right for you. For $400, you get the special edition, gold air-brushed console with digital downloads of Battlefield 5 Deluxe Edition, Battlefield 1 Revolution, and Battlefield 1943.

Best Xbox One S deals

Xbox One S 1 TB Fortnite Battle Royale SE for $235

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See it at Ebay

Usually sold for $300, this Xbox One S bundle is on sale for $235 and comes with a bunch of exclusive in-game content for Fortnite, including the Dark Vertex Cosmetic Set, 2000 V-Bucks, and more. However, as a purveyor of purple, the violet Xbox One S and controller are the true stars of this bundle.

Xbox One S 1 TB NBA 2K19 Bundle for $195

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See it at Ebay

NBA 2K20 may almost be out, but if you want a disc drive-equipped Xbox One S, then this deal is a good one. $195 would be a good deal for a brand new Xbox One S on its own, but this bundle comes with a digital code for NBA 2K19, which is a nice bonus.

Best Xbox One controller deal

Gears 5 Kait Diaz LE for $65

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See it at Amazon

This controller comes with the Xbox One X Gears 5 bundle shown earlier, but if you’re not interested in picking up a new console, you can still pick up this stylish controller on its own. Like the upcoming Xbox One Elite Series 2 controller, it features textured triggers for a little extra grip. And best of all, it’s currently $65, down from $75.

Best Xbox One game deals

Control for $37.50 (see full discount at checkout)

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See it at Amazon

Control is the latest game from Remedy and one of my favourites this year. And according to tech analysis YouTube channel Digital Foundry, the Xbox One X version is the best when it comes to consoles. In our Control review, GameSpot’s Peter Brown said, “It’s not often that a game invades my thoughts the way Control has. I’m at the point where I want to consume every last thing it has to offer. And if I’m honest, it also makes me want to go back and replay Remedy’s past games, too.”

Plus, check out more of the best Xbox One games on sale below.

*additional discount applied at checkout

Best Xbox pre-order deals

Cyberpunk 2077 for $50

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See it at Amazon

Cyberpunk 2077 is only $50 to pre-order at Amazon right now. If you wanted to grab CD Projekt Red’s Witcher follow-up for a little cheaper than normal, then now might be a good chance to do so.

Check out more pre-order deals below.

Best Xbox Game Pass deal

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s first two months for $2

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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is one of the best game subscription services out there. You get access to both the Xbox One and PC Game Pass libraries and an Xbox Live Gold membership for only $15 a month. One of the biggest perks is that you get access to Xbox’s first-party games and many third-party games right at launch. Void Bastards, Outer Wilds, and Blair Witch are among the third-party games that launched on Game Pass alongside their official launch. And if you have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you can play Gears 5 early with Ultimate Edition owners on September 6.

If you’re also into the PS4, be sure to check out our roundup of the best PS4 deals for September 2019.

Bad Boys For Life Gets First Trailer, Everything Blows Up

It has been 24 years since the first Bad Boys movie hit theaters, and finally, we’re getting a look at the third movie in the series, titled Bad Boys For Life. Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett are back, and they’re older but maybe not much wiser, as you can see below in the new trailer.

In the new film, Lowrey (Will Smith) and Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are still working together–even though Burnett wanted to ditch Lowrey in Bad Boys II–but both men are teaming up one last time as Burnett plans on retiring. Lowrey, on the other hand, is still creating a ton of collateral damage and giving Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) an ulcer. The first trailer is filled with over-the-top action sequences and comedic dialogue, a staple of the series.

Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi will direct the film–they have also signed on for Beverly Hills Cop 4. And aside from Lawrence, Smith, and Pantoliano, Bad Boys For Life stars Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical), Paola Nuñez (The Purge TV seres), Charles Melton (Riverdale), and Happy Anderson (The Tick).

The journey to get this movie made has been a roller coaster. Aside from the massive delays–as the movie was supposed to be released in November 2018–Martin Lawrence was positive the movie would never happen because of Will Smith’s other film projects. Then, right when things were getting rolling in the summer of 2018, director Joe Carnahan left the movie. While the movie seemed like it was destined to never come out, Will Smith posted a video from the set, hanging out with Martin Lawrence back in late 2018.

In the box office, Bad Boys was a smashing success in 1995, making $141 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. 2003’s followup Bad Boys II was also successful with a $273 million worldwide take on a $130 million budget. Hopefully, this series still has steam, as there was once a planned fourth movie, which was scrapped during the delays.

Bad Boys For Life hits theaters on January 17, 2020.

Scarlett Johansson Feels “Liberated” By The Black Widow Movie

Natasha Romanoff’s fate may have been sealed in Avengers: Endgame, but the inevitability of her demise hasn’t deterred actor Scarlet Johanson from feeling excited about the upcoming Black Widow solo film–in fact, if anything, she feels “liberated” by the entire process and her newly minted executive producer credit on the movie. In a profile interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Johanson opened up about making the film, and her relationship with Marvel Studios as a whole.

“I feel like I’m in control of the destiny of this film, which gives me a lot more peace of mind,” explained Johanson. “I know her better than anybody. What was her childhood like? What is her relationship to figures of authority? This character is gritty and multi-dimensional but has a lot of trauma and has led an unexamined life. In order to operate at this elite level, she has probably had to push away a lot of stuff.”

She also praised her character’s Endgame ending–but was quick to admit that it was a tricky thing to handle. “The finality of it was sad, but I was excited to die with honor. It felt in-character that she would sacrifice herself, of course for humanity but actually for her friends, for the people she loves. It was bittersweet.”

As for her post-Black Widow future, Johanson doesn’t think anything is set in stone. It seems unlikely that we’ll be seeing a return for Natasha after her solo outing, however–Johanson was candid about her interest in directing new projects but “hasn’t found the right fit” as of yet. It’s also worth noting that she has not signed on to any of the MCU-related Disney+ projects and isn’t among the confirmed voice cast of the animated What If…? Show that would allow Natasha to make a temporary return, even after her Endgame death. Unsurprisingly, it seems like we won’t be seeing the original Black Widow–or at least Johansson’s version of the original Black Widow–again in the MCU for the foreseeable future.

Black Widow arrives in theaters May 1, 2020.

Tomb Raider Movie Sequel Gets A Release Date And Director

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You haven’t seen the last of Lara Croft on the big screen. A sequel to 2018’s Tomb Raider starring Alicia Vikander is in the works. While the film is still relatively early in the process and no story details have been revealed, it’s being reported that two significant steps have been taken toward the movie becoming a reality.

According to Deadline, MGM has officially dated the film for March 19, 2021, giving those involved over a year to get the Tomb Raider sequel made and ready for theaters. Additionally, the site says Ben Wheatley has been hired to direct the film. Wheatley has the movies Kill List and Free Fire to his name, along with episodes of Doctor Who and Strange Angel.

He’s stepping in for Roar Uthaug, who directed the previous film but will not be returning. Joining Wheatley on the next movie is screenwriter Amy Jump and producers Graham King and Elizabeth Cantillon. Naturally, Vikander will be along for the ride reprising her role as Lara Croft.

This will be the fourth Tomb Raider film, but only the second in this particular incarnation. Angelina Jolie played the character in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its 2003 sequel. Vikander’s first outing as the character, which was based on the current video game series made $275 million at the worldwide box office and was met with mixed reviews. In his review, GameSpot’s Michael Rougeau called it “a pretty good action movie and a better than average video game adaptation,” citing “smart story choices and a winning performance from Alicia Vikander.”

Production on the Tomb Raider sequel is expected to start in early 2020.

Here’s Why Netflix Is Releasing Shows Weekly

Recent reports surrounding Netflix’s change from a binge model to a weekly release schedule for select shows released in the United States are suggesting that this will be a paradigm shift for the company, but that’s simply not true.

While the streaming provider is releasing the upcoming season of The Great British Baking Show and its new music competition show Rhythm + Flow on a weekly basis, this has nothing to do with a change in Netflix’s overall strategy. It’s also a method the company has used numerous times before, especially in countries outside of the US. Star Trek: Discovery, for example, which airs on CBS All Access in the US, releases weekly in the UK to coincide with its US schedule. The same goes for AMC’s Better Call Saul and USA’s Suits, which are both referred to as “Netflix Originals” in the UK, even though the company has nothing to do with their productions.

Continue reading…

Ikumi Nakamura, Ghostwire: Tokyo Creative Director And E3 Star, Leaves Studio

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In a surprise announcement via Twitter, creative director of the upcoming game Ghostwire: Tokyo, Ikumi Nakamura, stated that she is leaving Tango Gameworks and Bethesda/Zenimax. She made a huge splash at E3 2019 when she gave a presentation for the reveal of Ghostwire: Tokyo and charmed everyone with her own charisma. She spent nine years with the studio and was a lead art designer for both The Evil Within and The Evil Within 2. She also worked on Bayonetta with Platinum Games and Okami with Capcom.

Nakamura-san hasn’t stated what she’ll be doing next, but her follow-up tweets suggest that she could be moving on to another project. It’s not uncommon for creative directors to leave their positions before their project launches–recently, Sebastian Stępień left CD Projekt Red as creative director of Cyberpunk 2077 and Tim Longo left 343 Industries having worked on Halo Infinite.

This story is developing..